Rise in Indian students in recent years led to boom in graduate workers who will be disproportionately hit by the proposalThe proposed fee would not fall evenly across America’s international student population.
Indians accounted for 143,740 of the 294,253 people on OPT in 2024-25, or nearly 49%.
While the total number of Indian students in the US rose by 31,417 in 2024-25, the number actually enrolled in undergraduate, graduate or non-degree programmes fell by 14,767.
Graduate enrolment dropped by almost 19,000, while the OPT population jumped by more than 46,000.
In other words, the entire increase in Indian student population came from recent graduates staying on to work through OPT.
Rise in Indian students in recent years led to boom in graduate workers who will be disproportionately hit by the proposal
The proposed fee would not fall evenly across America’s international student population. Indians accounted for 143,740 of the 294,253 people on OPT in 2024-25, or nearly 49%. That makes India unusually exposed to any attempt to put a six-figure price on the bridge between a US degree and a US job. In fact, India’s enrolment surge had already begun to fade beneath the headline numbers. While the total number of Indian students in the US rose by 31,417 in 2024-25, the number actually enrolled in undergraduate, graduate or non-degree programmes fell by 14,767. Graduate enrolment dropped by almost 19,000, while the OPT population jumped by more than 46,000. In other words, the entire increase in Indian student population came from recent graduates staying on to work through OPT. A $100,000 levy would weaken the calculation made by future applicants, especially those pursuing costly graduate degrees on the expectation that US earnings will help justify the investment. To be sure, the proposal remains under discussion, including who would ultimately bear the cost.
